IN YOUR OPINION

Letters to the Editor for Feb. 28, 2013

Published: Thursday, February 28, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, February 27, 2013 at 8:38 p.m.

Cracker charm

Coming from South Florida, I had little exposure to Cracker culture until this past weekend at Cracker Days, celebrated at Rainbow Springs State Park. The likes of soap makers, blacksmiths, tanners, candlestick makers and spinsters, to name a few, puts all our everyday conveniences into perspective.

My heart went out to Betty, a violinist who performed with a violin handed down to her from her father. To me, she was the star. She played music that no doubt was common among the early settlers. To top it off, one of the fur-skin tanners joined Betty for a duet with his harmonica.

Hats off to Betty and all the other ladies and gents who volunteered their talents, dressed up in true Cracker fashion and gave their time to share history. Before this event, I never knew how to make candles, load black powder, quilt rugs, tan leather or make soap. Now I do.

Those were the days.

Lois K. Booth

Ocala

Checks and balance

To the writer of “Majority party?”, could it be that you have selective amnesia? Do you recall the nomination of Clarence Thomas for Supreme Court justice being held up by Democrats? Was it because he was a black man? Did it make us look foolish to the rest of the world? Was it one party playing political games against the other?

The Democratic Party only controls the House and the presidency, and you somehow feel “misled.” Why? Who promised you that if the Democrats won control over the Senate and the presidency your party would have its misguided agenda pushed through with no resistance?

The problem with Democrats is they are continually frustrated that Republicans won’t roll over and play dead when they push tax increases on working Americans, social programs that are bankrupting our children’s futures, and laws that contradict the Constitution and infringe on our personal freedoms.

Get used to it! We are going to stand for what we believe in as we cling to our guns and Bibles. You may want to read up on the founding of our country and why the designers implemented this system. The purpose was to create a system of checks and balances, which appears to be working. Had the Republicans been in control, perhaps we wouldn’t have experienced a 25 percent increase in our health care premiums as our benefits declined.

Connie S. Hardgrove

Stone Creek

Weary of blame game

Remember the story of Chicken Little and the sky is falling? Of course, it doesn’t fall because that disaster prediction was based on rumor, hype and “barnyard spin.”

And so it is with the sequester spin. When are our elected representatives, including the president, going to take the $16 trillion-plus debt seriously? It’s time for leadership, starting with President Obama, to address what is good for the country, not for the Democratic Party, not for the Republican Party, and not for any special interest group. Our president has gone from blaming Bush to blaming Republicans, the rich, big business, ad infinitum.

Last I knew, Barack Obama was president the past four years, and the Democratic Party was in the majority in the Senate and, for two years, in the House. How is the over $10 trillion in debt the Republicans’ fault?

Let’s stop the “blame game” and start the process of addressing our major problems

What has made our country great has not been the creeping philosophy of “I want it, you’ve got it, give it to me.” Mr. President, the “fair shot” that Americans have is that we live in America!

My understanding of “fair share” is that all sacrifice something for the good of the country.

The primary focus of the government should be national security, defense, strengthening our economy and pride in our country. When did it become the role of the government to focus on green jobs, gun control, birth control, gay marriage, and trying to address every cause of the day? We have the Constitution and the three branches of government for a reason.

Ruth Hahne

Ocala

Four more years

Can we endure four more years? My heart is troubled. Four more years of saying there is no God. Four more years of babies sacrificed on the altar of selfishness and as a means of birth control. Four more years of souls without hope for a job. Four more years of people on welfare and food stamps. Four more years of spending money we don’t have. Four more years of regulations that ruin businesses.

Can we endure four more years?

Lenore Fitzpatrick

Ocala

Obama’s gun agenda

Anyone who owns a gun should be proficient in its use.

If you are the owner of a so-called assault rifle, you should be able to change from one 10-round clip to another in a matter of seconds. It is broadly argued that a 20-round clip can be responsible for many deaths. Well, so can two 10-round clips. If you are proficient with your gun, then you know you can change 10-round clips in 3.2 seconds. That is the time from the last shot in clip No. 1 to the first shot from clip No. 2.

The Obama administration will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on 2.9 seconds just so President Obama can say he beat the NRA.

It is this type of stupidity that has put us in the financial position we are in.

I’m just waiting for President Obama to declare that a semi-automatic .22 rifle loaded with 16 long rifle bullets to be classified as an assault rifle.

We should all realize that his real agenda is the destruction of the Second Amendment and the confiscation of all our weapons and ammunition.

<p><b>Cracker charm</b></p><p>Coming from South Florida, I had little exposure to Cracker culture until this past weekend at Cracker Days, celebrated at Rainbow Springs State Park. The likes of soap makers, blacksmiths, tanners, candlestick makers and spinsters, to name a few, puts all our everyday conveniences into perspective.</p><p>My heart went out to Betty, a violinist who performed with a violin handed down to her from her father. To me, she was the star. She played music that no doubt was common among the early settlers. To top it off, one of the fur-skin tanners joined Betty for a duet with his harmonica.</p><p>Hats off to Betty and all the other ladies and gents who volunteered their talents, dressed up in true Cracker fashion and gave their time to share history. Before this event, I never knew how to make candles, load black powder, quilt rugs, tan leather or make soap. Now I do.</p><p>Those were the days.</p><p><i>Lois K. Booth</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Checks and balance</b></p><p>To the writer of “Majority party?”, could it be that you have selective amnesia? Do you recall the nomination of Clarence Thomas for Supreme Court justice being held up by Democrats? Was it because he was a black man? Did it make us look foolish to the rest of the world? Was it one party playing political games against the other?</p><p>The Democratic Party only controls the House and the presidency, and you somehow feel “misled.” Why? Who promised you that if the Democrats won control over the Senate and the presidency your party would have its misguided agenda pushed through with no resistance?</p><p>The problem with Democrats is they are continually frustrated that Republicans won't roll over and play dead when they push tax increases on working Americans, social programs that are bankrupting our children's futures, and laws that contradict the Constitution and infringe on our personal freedoms.</p><p>Get used to it! We are going to stand for what we believe in as we cling to our guns and Bibles. You may want to read up on the founding of our country and why the designers implemented this system. The purpose was to create a system of checks and balances, which appears to be working. Had the Republicans been in control, perhaps we wouldn't have experienced a 25 percent increase in our health care premiums as our benefits declined.</p><p><i>Connie S. Hardgrove</p><p>Stone Creek</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Weary of blame game</b></p><p>Remember the story of Chicken Little and the sky is falling? Of course, it doesn't fall because that disaster prediction was based on rumor, hype and “barnyard spin.”</p><p>And so it is with the sequester spin. When are our elected representatives, including the president, going to take the $16 trillion-plus debt seriously? It's time for leadership, starting with President Obama, to address what is good for the country, not for the Democratic Party, not for the Republican Party, and not for any special interest group. Our president has gone from blaming Bush to blaming Republicans, the rich, big business, ad infinitum.</p><p>Last I knew, Barack Obama was president the past four years, and the Democratic Party was in the majority in the Senate and, for two years, in the House. How is the over $10 trillion in debt the Republicans' fault?</p><p>Let's stop the “blame game” and start the process of addressing our major problems</p><p>What has made our country great has not been the creeping philosophy of “I want it, you've got it, give it to me.” Mr. President, the “fair shot” that Americans have is that we live in America!</p><p>My understanding of “fair share” is that all sacrifice something for the good of the country.</p><p>The primary focus of the government should be national security, defense, strengthening our economy and pride in our country. When did it become the role of the government to focus on green jobs, gun control, birth control, gay marriage, and trying to address every cause of the day? We have the Constitution and the three branches of government for a reason.</p><p><i>Ruth Hahne</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Four more years</b></p><p>Can we endure four more years? My heart is troubled. Four more years of saying there is no God. Four more years of babies sacrificed on the altar of selfishness and as a means of birth control. Four more years of souls without hope for a job. Four more years of people on welfare and food stamps. Four more years of spending money we don't have. Four more years of regulations that ruin businesses.</p><p>Can we endure four more years?</p><p><i>Lenore Fitzpatrick</p><p>Ocala</i></p><p> </p><p><b>Obama's gun agenda</b></p><p>Anyone who owns a gun should be proficient in its use.</p><p>If you are the owner of a so-called assault rifle, you should be able to change from one 10-round clip to another in a matter of seconds. It is broadly argued that a 20-round clip can be responsible for many deaths. Well, so can two 10-round clips. If you are proficient with your gun, then you know you can change 10-round clips in 3.2 seconds. That is the time from the last shot in clip No. 1 to the first shot from clip No. 2.</p><p>The Obama administration will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on 2.9 seconds just so President Obama can say he beat the NRA.</p><p>It is this type of stupidity that has put us in the financial position we are in.</p><p>I'm just waiting for President Obama to declare that a semi-automatic .22 rifle loaded with 16 long rifle bullets to be classified as an assault rifle.</p><p>We should all realize that his real agenda is the destruction of the Second Amendment and the confiscation of all our weapons and ammunition.</p><p><i>Bill Curtis</p><p>Ocala</i></p>